Why do you think more people voted for Chavez than for Rosales?

Francisco Toro asks Alek Boyd

Caracas 07.12.06 | Yesterday Francisco Toro (FT) from Caracas Chronicles asked me that question. I would like to share my reply for I still hear many in denial, refusing to accept reality, spreading falsehoods and conspiracy theories. My reply to "Why do you think more people voted for Chavez than for Rosales?" follows.

Very simple FT. Most people will chose the tangible over the intangible.

Como el dicho "mas vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer". I tried my hardest to influence the communications strategy, I tried to convince them that, outside Zulia, very few people knew about Rosales excellent performance. It follows that not enough people made the connection between what they perceived as intangible to the tangible. Chavez represents the tangible, Chavez represents money through misiones -even if it materializes every quarter instead of monthly, Chavez introduced 'medicos' into the barrios, Chavez created the cooperatives and "las empresas de interes social", but above all else, even above money, Chavez hugs people and those he hugs feel touched, they feel that the hug is sincere, they believe him when he says that he'll sort them out. And to top it all off they don't question him.

As I was talking to Dorothy Kronick the other day, the philosophical questions the opposition must ponder on must start with "what's the value of a hug? For how long does its effects last?" But pundits need to descend from their intellectual high horses and tackle these issues from a disenfranchised Venezuelan's perspective. Until then, unless we find a candidate with a Chavez-like check-book, he will continue winning elections.